Sarah Ingram has just celebrated her four-year anniversary at Black & White, where she leads design consulting across Europe. With a background in architectural, civil and structural engineering, her career journey spans from bridge design to data centre leadership.
Building a Cross-Disciplinary Career in Engineering
“My route into engineering started with an undergraduate degree in architectural and civil engineering, followed by an MSc in structural engineering, both at Cardiff,” says Sarah. “I began my career in bridge design and achieved chartership with the Institution of Civil Engineers before transitioning to a structural lead role. Eventually, I moved into design management for data centres and joined Black & White to build and grow the design management offering.”
Sarah has since carved out a leadership role focused on building strong client relationships and integrated design teams.
“The theme for International Women in Engineering Day, ‘Together We Engineer’ encompasses both collaboration and supporting each other,” she explains. “It’s about inclusion and equal opportunities valuing diversity in everything we do. It’s bigger than women in engineering. It’s about being one global team.”
Sarah credits strong mentorship and support networks with helping her thrive in her career. “Mentorship has really helped me build my confidence, which is vital to how I’ve grown in my role. Having a supportive leader I can be open with and bounce ideas off has made a huge difference.”
As a mother of two young children, flexibility has also been key. “I couldn’t do what I do without the support of my director and the flexibility at Black & White,” she says. “That trust allows me to balance work and family and continue leading at a high level.”
Her advice to young women entering engineering is an important reminder: “What makes people different their approaches, perspectives and leadership styles is where success and growth lies.”
Careers at Black & White Engineering
To learn more about what it’s like to work here and discover current opportunities, visit our careers page.